Improvement in machines for casting metal tubes



S P. M. TASKER. 7 Machine for Casting Metal Tubes.

' No. 223,077. Patented Dec. 30,1879.

UNITED 'ra'rs QFFICE.

STEPHEN P. M. TASKER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,077, dated December30, 1879; application liled October 6, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN P. M. TASKER, of Philadelphia, in the Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement on Machines for MakingMetal Tubes, of which the following is a full and true description,reference being made to the accompanying drawings,

forming part thereof, in which- Figure l is a central sectionalelevation of a convenient form of apparatus embodying my invention,illustrating its mechanical construction and the position of the mandrelafter a tube of twice the length of the molding-chamber has been formedupon it, the position of the mandrel at the commencement of theoperation being shown in dotted lines; and Fig. 2 is a top-plan view,section being supposed on line a; a" of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts whereverused.

My invention relates to the class of mechanisms which are designed toproduce seamless metal tubes.

It has for its especial object the production of seamless steel tubes ofany desired length and cross-section, to which end it consists of theapparatus hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, the following is adescription of a convenientform of apparatus embodying my invention.

A is a vertical frame-work of any suitable construction and material,consisting, in the form represented, of four standards erected from abed-plate, and connected at their upper extremities and near thebed-plate by radial webs B G, concentric with and connected to which arewater-containing slide-bearings J K for the mandrel.

D is the receiver, in the form represented,

a hollow funnel or inverted frustum of a cone,

terminating below in a diaphragm, E.

F is the molding-chamber, a hollow cylinder attached to and extendingdown from the receiver, but internally separated therefrom by thediaphragm E.

Both receiver and chamber are supported upon radial frame-work webs G,and are both concentric with the bearings of the mandrel.

The receiver is preferably constructed of refractory material, is, asstated, hollow, and is provided with a gas-inlet tube, H, entering, inthe form represented, through the outer wall, while the inner wall isperforated with vent-holes 'u 1;, best located near region of smallestdiameter.

The molding chamber isa tight hollow cylinder, supplied with awater-inlet tube, I, whereby it is tilled with water, and with anoutlet-tube, l.

The bearings J K are supplied with water by the pipes L N, and areprovided with outlets L N.

M is the mandrel, a vertical shaft, in the form represented, of circularcross-section. It is made of any suitable material, either solid orhollow, to permit of a circulation of water to cool it.

When made of refractory substance, such substance may be either closeupon its surface or porous to permit the permeation of the gases.

In diameter the mandrel is suiiiciently less than the molding-chamber,with which it is concentric, to leave an annular and (in the form underdiscussion) cylindrical inter-space, 0, between.

is an enlargement of the mandrel, the diameter of which is best that ofthe moldingchamber F. The upper bearing fits the mandrel proper, thelowerits enlargement.

Any suitable mechanism is provided to impart a vertical movement to themandrel.

Such being the construction of the apparatus represented, its operationis as follows: The mandrel is raised until the upper edge of itsenlargement registers with the lower surface of the molding-cha her, andluting is applied around the regio ,of contact to prevent possibleescapes of metal at the outstart of the operation. Any suitable gas, hotor cold, is then caused to enter or is forced through the inlet-tubeinto the gas-space of the receiver, from which it finds escape throughthe vent-holes into the interior of the receiver and through its moltencontents, before the latter descend into the molding-chamber, ashereinafter set forth.

The object, primarily, of forcing gas into the molten metal is to insurethat the latter is keptin a molten condition, and l have found thatcertain gases introduced coldas, for instance,

hydrogen-Will accomplish this result as effectually as heated gases.Incidentally, howerer, various chemical results ensue from theemployment of the blast, which results vary with the character of metalsor gases employed. Any desired fusible metal in a molten condition isthen run into the receiver, coming in contact with the streams of gaswhich ascend through it, and falls down into the interspace O in themolding-chamber about the mandrel. As the molten metal cools it isobvious that it forms a cast tube about the mandrel.

Motion being imparted to the mandrel, so as to cause it to movegradually downward, and the supply of molten metal being continued, itis obvious that a cast tube of any desired length is formed about themandrel.

As the cast tube cools in themolding-chamber by reason of the containedwater, it shrinks upon and clings to the mandrel and so is drawn down,new tubing being gradually and contiit uously formed upon the mandrel,in its downward movement, by the gradual and continuous influx of metalto the molding-chamber.

- When a sufficient length of tube has been formed, the mandrel, withthe tube upon it, is removed from the apparatus, and the tube afterwarddrawn from the mandrel byany wellknown means.

It is obvious that my apparatus is especially adapted to the productionof steel tubing; but it can be used with effect in connection withvarious fusible metals, either'with or without the blast.

Tubes of any desired cross-section can be made by properly shaping themandrel and molding-chamber and the mandrel-boxes.

I wish it to be understood thatI do not limit myself to the exactconstruction which I have described as convenient; but that Icontemplate varieties of mechanical construction while adhering to thesubstance of my invention. For instance, in some cases the receiver maybe represented by the hearth of the furnace, while the gases may beforced down through the molten mass from above through refrac torytubes.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States-- 1. An apparatus for the productionof scamless steel or other metal tubes, consisting es sen tially of areceiver or supply chamber, provided with means for directing a blastinto the metal, a cold molding-chamber connected with the receiver, anda vertical mandrel concentric with and adapted to be moved downwardthrough both receiver and 'chamber, the arrangement being such thatmolten metal in the receiver encounters the gas as the metal settlesabout the mandrel into the moldingchamber, in which chamber it ischilled so as to form a continuous seamless tube about and upon themandrel, substantially as set forth.

2. The enlargement P of the mandrel M, in combination with themolding-chamber, so as to close the interspace at the commencement ofthe tube-making, substantially as set forth.

3. An apparatusfor the production of seamless steel or other metaltubes, which consists essentially of a molding-chamber, provided with amandrel adapted to move down and through said molding-chamber in suchmanner that molten metal fed to the molding-chamber follows the mandrelin its downward movement, and is thereby cast about and upon it.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto signed my name this 27th day ofSeptember, 1879.

STEPHEN P. M. TASKER. In presence of J. BONSALL TAYLOR, W. O.STRAWBRIDGE.

